IVF Treatment

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why IVF treatment is not available to service personnel or their spouses in Germany through (a) his Department, (b) the British Forces Germany Health Service and (c) primary care trusts.

Don Touhig: A number of options are available to Service personnel and their dependants requiring IVF treatment while posted to Germany:
	Although the British Forces Germany Health Service (BFG HS) is not funded for the provision of full IVF and equivalent treatment, it does fund the investigation of infertility and the provision of drug treatments following IVF. This takes place in our primary care facilities or our regional contracted German hospitals. It will also fund correction of any anatomical abnormality that may be causing infertility. In addition Artificial Insemination by Husband (AIH) is available at one of our contracted German hospitals.
	A patient can seek private treatment in Germany bearing the full cost themselves. In unusual cases presenting strong medical/social reasons for IVF treatment, BFG HS may pay for treatment.
	If a patient has embarked on investigation or treatment in the United Kingdom on a NHS programme and is then posted to Germany, they receive full administrative support, including the provision of transport by air trooper. The Ministry of Defence also takes a sympathetic view with regard to the posting of personnel while they are undertaking a course of treatment in the UK by deferring the posting if it is the individual's wish and if it is possible to do so.
	For patients wishing to return to the UK to begin treatment for IVF, the BFG HS makes use of the excellent facilities offered by a charity based service which is provided at Hammersmith hospital in London at no cost to the patient or the MOD. In these cases BFG HS authorises transport by air trooper. In other instances where personnel wish to be posted back to the UK and this is supported by their posting authority, they can be referred to their local primary care trust (PCT) in the UK for the duration of the treatment.
	The Department is currently re-formulating its policy on IVF treatment to ensure it is consistent with the standards contained in the current National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines.

Licensing Act

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 on (a) travelling circuses, (b) village halls and (c) village shops.

James Purnell: The Licensing Act 2003 does not fully come into effect until November 2005. My Department has been working closely with a wide range of stakeholder groups and representatives including:
	(a) The Association of Circus Proprietors of Great Britain, Circus Arts Forum and the Arts Council of England;
	(b) Action with Communities in Rural England;
	(c) Association of Convenience Stores (representing the Rural Shops Alliance).
	We are continuing discussions with these organisations so they can help their sectors adapt to the new licensing system.
	The de-regulatory nature of the Act will significantly reduce bureaucracy by combining six existing licensing regimes into one integrated scheme. It is estimated that a total of £1.97 billion will be saved by those affected by the new regime over its first 10 years of operation.
	My Department will continue to discuss relevant issues with affected stakeholder groups as implementation proceeds.

Norfolk Sport

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much public money has been given to Norfolk Sport in the last five years.

Richard Caborn: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			£ 
			  Exchequer Lottery Total 
		
		
			 2000–01 — — 0 
			 2001–02 — 20,000 20,000 
			 2002–03 — 1,026,265 1,026,265 
			 2003–04 10,000 — 10,000 
			 2004–05 (1)112,675 20,000 132,675 
			 Grand total 122,675 1,066,265 1,188,940 
		
	
	(1) The figure £112,675 consisted of grants as follows: £21,775 for Step into Sport, £87,000 for Community Sports Coach Scheme and £3,900 for Club.

Sport UK

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much public money has been given to Sport UK in the last five years.

Richard Caborn: The information requested in shown in the following table:
	
		
			£ million 
			  Exchequer Lottery Total 
		
		
			 2000–01 12.8 (2)24.0 38.1 
			 2001–02 16.8 25.6 42.4 
			 2002–03 16.3 21.4 37.7 
			 2003–04 23.2 20.0 43.2 
			 2004–05 23.1 (3)21.0 49.3 
			 Grand total 92.2 118.5 210.7 
		
	
	(2) £1.3 million relates to additional lottery funding to UK Sport from Sport England.
	(3) £5.2 million relates to additional lottery funding to UK Sport from Sport England.
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest £0.1 million and include investment earnings on the NLDF balance. The 2004–05 figures is unaudited.

"A Shared Future"

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the implementation of the document "A Shared Future".

Angela Smith: "A Shared Future—The Policy and Strategic Framework for Good Relations in Northern Ireland", was launched on 21 March 2005 by way of a Written Ministerial Statement.
	My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Northern Ireland (Lord Rooker) will be taking forward the implementation of the policy through the publication of the triennial action plan. This is scheduled to be launched in the autumn.

Health Service Expenditure

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total (a) hospital expenditure, (b) expenditure on community services, (c) expenditure on ambulance services and (d) total hospital and community health services expenditure was in each year since 1990–91 in (i) nominal terms and (ii) real terms.

Liam Byrne: Information on the expenditure on hospital and community services in England has been provided previously. I refer the hon. Member to the replies given by my right hon. Friend, the Member for Barrow and Furness (Mr. Hutton), on 9 March 2005, Official Report, columns 1911–12W and 18 March 2005, Official Report, columns 518–19W.
	Expenditure figures for ambulance services expenditure are obtained from the financial returns of the service providers and are shown in the table.
	It is not possible to provide comparable figures prior to 1996–97 and 2003–04 is the latest year for which data is available.
	
		Expenditure by national health service ambulance trusts
		
			 £000 
			  Expenditure on ambulance services in nominal terms Expenditure on ambulance services in cash terms 
		
		
			 1996–97 711,530 598,738 
			 1997–98 715,050 617,138 
			 1998–99 738,259 655,530 
			 1999–2000 781,544 709,103 
			 2000–01 880,095 807,786 
			 2001–02 989,773 931,574 
			 2002–03 1,119,157 1,088,805 
			 2003–04 1,175,965 1,175,965 
		
	
	Sources:
	Annual financial returns of NHS trusts 1996–97 to 2003–04.
	Her Majesty's Treasury gross domestic product deflator.

Bypasses

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his policy on the construction of bypasses; and which areas have submitted (a) proposals and (b) objections to proposals to him since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: The Government recognises the important role that bypasses can play in helping to reduce the volume of traffic passing through towns and villages and improving the quality of life for residents by relieving congestion, improving air quality and pedestrian safety, decreasing traffic noise and in some cases re-uniting severed communities. The programme of road schemes being taken forward by the Highways Agency and local authorities includes a number of bypass schemes which will bring real benefits to the communities that they relieve.
	Between 1 January 1997 and 31 March 2005, the Secretary of State determined scheme orders for 45 bypasses which were submitted by local highway authorities to him for confirmation. These can be split into the following areas:
	South-east (3),
	South-west (4),
	East Midlands (9),
	West Midlands (11), Eastern (7),
	North-west (3),
	North-east (5), and
	Yorks and Humber (3).
	Of the 45, 38 were opposed and seven unopposed.

Thameslink

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the new timetable for Thameslink services for Mill Hill, with particular reference to the ending of the fast train service from Mill Hill to central London.

Derek Twigg: Thameslink has developed a new summer 2005 timetable, that will be introduced in June. I understand that semi-fast trains on the route will stop at Radlett, Elstree and West Hampstead.